New pro football league holding title game in Las Vegas

The Alliance of American Football, which opened its inaugural season in early February, has put tickets on sale for the Alliance Championship, the season-ending title game that will be played at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.

When the Alliance announced its two-year deal to bring the championship game to Las Vegas in 2019 and 2020, CEO and co-founder Charlie Ebersol said, “Las Vegas has a proven track record of success hosting large-scale sporting events, making it an ideal destination for our championship games.”

Ebersol’s co-founder, Bill Polian, has had an outstanding career as a football executive in the Canadian Football League and the United States Football League as well as the National Football League. He has been general manager for the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts during a career that began in 1978 as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fans will be able to stream Alliance matchups live via the free Alliance app while accessing integrated fantasy options with real rewards — for themselves and the players they are cheering on. Players will have state-of-the-art protection on the field and ample opportunities off it. The Alliance will provide players a comprehensive bonus system, post-football career planning as well as counseling and scholarship support for postsecondary education.

The Alliance is a single-entity structure playing a 10-week regular season followed by two semifinal playoff games before the championship game. The league features eight teams: Arizona Hotshots, Atlanta Legends, Birmingham Iron, Memphis Express, Orlando Apollos, Salt Lake Stallions, San Antonio Commanders and San Diego Fleet.

Five players on Alliance rosters played their college football at University of Nevada campuses. Atlanta linebacker Totauhelotu Lotulelei and San Diego offensive tackle Brett Boyko and linebacker John Lotulelei played for the Rebels, while Arizona defensive end Rykeem Yates and linebacker Kaelin Burnett played for the Wolf Pack.

Games are played Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and are telecast on CBS Sports Network and NFL Network.

Tickets for the championship game, which start at $39, can be purchased at the Thomas &Mack Center box office, UNLVtickets.com, by calling 702-739-FANS or visiting any La Bonita supermarket.